In our discussion of the Old Testament offerings, Leviticus 4 brings us to the sin offerings. People who sin unknowingly or unintentionally make these offerings as sacrifices for specific sins. These sins may be due to a lack of self-discipline (1 Tim. 4:7). For example, you tell the truth (Ex. 20:16) but you state your case unkindly (1 Cor. 13:4). You call your adversary a fool (Matt. 5:22). There may be a degree of intention. Subsequently, you realize your sin.

The sins spoken of in Leviticus 4 are not flagrant like premeditated murder. Yet the worshiper must acknowledge the sins, repent of them, and seek God’s forgiveness. Worshipers could do this through sin offerings.

As with burnt offerings, the worshiper lays his hands on the head of the sacrifice and confesses his sin. Thus he symbolically transfers his sin to the sacrifice (Lev. 4:4). Then, “the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord” (v. 7). Much like the peace offerings, the priest places the fat portions and volatile internal organs on the altar of burnt offering (vv. 8-10).

“But the hide of the bull and all its flesh with its head and its legs and its entrails and its refuse, that is, all the rest of the bull, he is to bring out to a clean place outside the camp where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned” (Lev. 4:11-12).

There are clear connections with Christ and His sacrifice. “The bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb. 13:11-12). The sin offering speaks about Christ.

In Psalm 141:2, David cries out to God, “May my prayer be counted as incense before You.” David is a type of Christ. The incense on this altar is prayer. Specifically, the incense pictures the prayers of Christ. Revelation 8:3-4 gives us further guidance. “Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”

Christ adds His prayers to those of the saints and presents them before the Father in perfection. Augustine likened this to bringing a disheveled bouquet to his father. Mom intervened and arranged the bouquet, making it beautiful and acceptable to the father. So Christ makes our prayers acceptable to the Father in heaven. He does so on the basis of His sacrifice outside the gate.

All this points to Christ, your advocate. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). You regularly sin in thought, word, and deed. You should flee to Christ and present your sin offerings. That is, you should seek God’s forgiveness. Remember, Christ represents you before the Father. Because of His sacrifice outside the gate, God the Father accepts your prayers and grants you forgiveness. Hallelujah.